Book picks similar to
Dark Deceit (Anarchy Trilogy, #1) by Cathie Dunn


medieval
historical-fiction
historical-romance
historical

The MacKinnon's Bride


Tanya Anne Crosby - 1996
    Fiercely loyal to kin, Iain never imagines any father could deny his child--or that he would become Page FitzSimon's savior. "Keep her, or kill her!" FitzSimon proclaims when Iain forces his hand. So, what else should a good lad do, but carry the lass home--without telling her the truth: Her father doesn't want her. But even as Page blames her reluctant champion for welching on a bargain with her father, she suspects the truth... the shadows hold secrets... and danger. Now only love can save MacKinnon's fiery new bride.

The Last Earl


Lara Blunte - 2020
    A mysterious nobleman who is the last of his name. A passion that will not conform to the rules of society.Willful, rich and clever, Lady Catherine Lytton believes she is in full control of her destiny after she inherits a large fortune.However, the return of Lord Adrian Stowe to England will turn her world on its head.He is the last Earl of Halford, and has been missing for years after the gruesome murder of his family; he is also different from any man she has ever met. She does not expect to feel such a strong attraction to him, or to finally lose head and heart to a man with grim secrets.When he leaves for Constantinople on a mysterious quest, she must follow, embarking on a journey of change that will lead her to understand the meaning of true love.

High Seas & High Stakes: Series Bundle


Tamara Gill - 2018
    But before she can embark on her new life, May must complete her dealings with the local smugglers, men who have kept a roof over her family’s head during frugal times. One last Christmas at home and her life would change forever. So when William Scott, the Earl of Grandison arrives and crumbles her perfectly planned future to rubble, May is less than pleased. William, Lord Grandison works for the Crown, and is determined to catch the nuisance Englishmen who dare smuggle along the Cornwall coast. William has never veered from his pursuit of these men working against the law, that was until he meets May Stanford, the maddening daughter of his host for Christmas. May drives him to distraction and forces him to admit to feelings he has never felt before. But when May and William discover the crippling truth of each other, their secrets will threaten to tear them apart. ~Her Gentleman Pirate~ Kidnapped by a smuggling pirate, Miss Arabella Hester is appalled by the circumstances that have befallen her. Imprisoned on a ship in the most scandalous of company, her reputation as a lady betrothed to a English Viscount is in tatters. Captain Stephen Doherty aka Blackmore was left with little choice but to kidnap the daughter of Sir Ronald Hester, a man who’s payment for services rendered is long overdue. The ransom due on Arabella will settle her father’s debt, and allow Stephen to restore his family’s fortune. ​ Pursued across an ocean by those determined to restore a daughter to her rightful place, Arabella and Stephen navigate high seas and high emotions. But when their time is up, it remains to been seen whether this lady wishes to be caught by anyone other than her pirate...

Dream Time


Parris Afton Bonds - 1993
    For Nan Briscoll, exiled there as a convict, Australia was her nightmare. But she vowed to survive for one reason only ~ revenge against the man who had sealed her fate . . . even as her body continued to yearn for his touch. For Amaris Wilmot, Australia was her Dream Time. And an ex-convict named Sin was her nightmare ~ because she loved him and couldn’t have him.

Amethyst


Lauren Royal - 2000
    Though custom dictates she wed her father’s apprentice, her heart rebels against the match. In mere days Amy will be condemned to a stifling, loveless marriage, and she sees no way out—until the devastating fire of 1666 sweeps through London, and tragedy lands her in the arms of a dashing nobleman who knows a diamond in the rough when he sees it…Colin Chase, the Earl of Greystone, has his future all figured out. He’s restoring his crumbling castle and estate to its former glory, and the key to its completion is his rich bride-to-be. But the Great Fire lays waste to his plans, saddling him with trouble—in the form of a lowly shopkeeper’s daughter with whom he’s most inconveniently falling in love...

A Pirate's Curse


M.L. Guida - 2013
    Struggling to control and hide her telekinetic powers, Hannah discovers the honorable and bold captain possesses his own secrets. Every full moon, Kane turns into a vampire. Finding out Hannah not to be the cabin boy she resembles, but a beautiful, luscious woman, tempts all his appetites. Desperate to be free of his curse, Kane considers handing Hannah over to a demon. But after Hannah uses her power to save his ship from his immortal enemy, Kane can no longer deny his attraction and vows to protect Hannah with his life. To find true love, they must combine their powers to defeat evil vampires, thwart Hannah's misogynist fiancé and escape a crafty demon.

Tom Wasp and the Murdered Stunner


Amy Myers - 2007
    But she couldn’t. She’d stay there stuck fast in paint forever. A chimney sweep in Victorian London’s poverty-stricken East End, Tom Wasp is highly flattered to be asked to model for Valentine Drake, a painter in fashionable Chelsea, especially since his co-model is the beautiful and warm-hearted Bessie Barton, a red-headed stunner who becomes his friend. Grief-stricken when her body is found by mudlarks on the muddy banks of the river Thames, Tom vows to find her murderer. Tracking her pitiful past through London’s seamiest quarters, he discovers the monstrous shadow that hangs over her life, Moonman, from whose clutches Bessie had fled, only to fall into his murderous hands at last. But who is Moonman? Is he one of the Angels, the high-minded group of artists to which Valentine belongs? Or is the truth more terrifying still? Step by step Tom hunts down his quarry through the darkness, guided by his faith that there is goodness in this world as well as evil, and assisted by his chummy, the eleven-year-old Ned. Narrated by Tom himself, this unusual historical thriller whirls the reader from the squalor of London’s Victorian slums to the heady pleasures of its high-life, revealing both the evil and the goodness in both. Tom and Ned make a formidable team as they clean the filthy chimneys of life in this first book of the Tom Wasp series. Praise for Amy Myers ‘Victorian England hides a dark underbelly of misery and degradation along with a vicious murderer.’— Kirkus Reviews ‘Tom Wasp is one of the most engaging characters I’ve encountered in yeats’ – Ellen Keith, Historical Novels Review AMY MYERS has been a full-time writer since 1988, and has written a wide range of novels from historical sagas and contemporary romance to crime. She is married to an American and lives in Kent. Many of her novels have been published under the name of Harriet Hudson.

Heart of Stone


Willa Blair - 2015
    Little does he know that the garland of bluebells she weaves and the spell she sings will change the course of his life.Marsali Murray doesn’t really believe the old wives’ tale that making a chain of bluebells by the standing stones under a waxing moon will bring true love, but she’s desperate to try anything to escape the boring, everlasting sameness of her life. Anything except marrying a man her father chooses for her. When her deerhound, Corrie, insists on following Gavan, Marsali decides that’s the excuse she needs to have the adventure she craves. She’ll go where he goes, whether he is the man promised by her spell—or not.Gavan has already seen much of the world denied to Marsali. He’s ready to settle down. She is eager to spread her wings. Can they find what they need with each other?

Rogues Always Wear Black


Catherine Mayfair - 2020
    Until he meets Constance. Her strong spirit, quick tongue, and virtuous smile has him question honoring his oath of protecting her or fulfilling his own growing desire …Fearing that her stepfather will find her, Constance decides to trust Stephen and accepts his offer of protection. He is brave, handsome, and his kiss has caused a passion to emerge she did not know existed.Yet, doubts soon arise in her heart, and Constance's faith in Stephen is tested by his lingering touch, for her mother had always warned that Rogues Always Wear Black.The Princess Bride meets Robin Hood in this Steamy Regency Romance adventure.

The Kindling Heart


Carmen Caine - 2011
    They were nothing but trouble. Leaving the rash life of his youth behind, he returned to Skye, seeking peace. He never meant to split the clan or start a war with the MacDonald of Duntulm. He certainly never foresaw an arranged marriage to the most scandalous woman in Scotland. Even though she was twice his age, the size of a horse and mother to more than one illegitimate child, he agreed to secure his sister’s freedom. However, even that plan goes drastically awry. On his wedding day, he finds himself faced instead with an enticing, green-eyed lass named Bree. A walking disaster, his bride immediately turns his world into chaos and threatens to melt his resolve never to love again.Betrayed by her own mother, Bree flees to Skye, thinking only to reunite with her long, lost father. Instead, she finds herself wed to Ruan MacLeod as a replacement bride. When she is forced to remain in the castle, she is soon caught between brothers and the mentally ill wife of the laird.Shy, yet strong, Bree embarks on a journey of independence and learns along the way that all men are not necessarily evil. In fact, one particularly brooding, yet gentle-hearted warrior is worthy of love, and she soon loses her heart forever.Excerpt from Chapter Six:...All at once, he noticed he was still holding her, apparently at the same moment understanding dawned in her face.Bree launched into another attack, jabbing his midriff and raking his skin with her nails.“Be still, ye wee hellion!” Ruan bellowed, pinning her wrists behind her back.For a moment, he thought she was going to retch; her pasty skin seemed almost yellow, purple and black streaks adorned her nose and cheekbones. Marriage to him had not served her well; in two days, she had transformed from a lass with a pair of bright green eyes to a drowned, underfed chicken.As her foot grazed his shin, he winced, quickly amending the thought; a mean-spirited, drowned, underfed chicken.Another well placed kicked wrenched a new succession of curses from his lip, but as her tears began to flow, real ones, his exasperation fled. Of all things, tears affected him the most. One slid down her cheek. Succumbing to a wave of pity, he wiped it gently with his thumb. Bree gulped, frowning in a way he could not fathom. For several long minutes, they stared wordlessly at each other.Finally, her cracked lips opened and she wailed, “I’m not wedding anyone!”Gazing down into the bright eyes brimming with tears, Ruan sighed. “Aye, ‘tis a wee bit late, lass.”It was supposed to be comforting, or so he thought, but his response seemed only to renew her resistance. Balling her fists, she struck his chest but more in blows of frustration than anything else. In spite of his best efforts, he grinned. Battling to the last breath was something he could understand, even for a hopeless cause such as this one. Lips twitching, he easily recaptured her wrists in a single hand. They were unusually small hands, perfectly shaped.The fingers jerked free from his grasp. Startled, he met her eyes once more.“You’ll die if you touch me!” Her slurred threat ended with a hiccup, rendering it anything but intimidating.He could smell the whiskey on her breath.His grin widened.Her hand fumbled near his belt before closing over the hilt of his sword. Assuming a fierce expression, she attempted to frighten him. “I’ll sever your manhood whilst you sleep!”To emphasize the statement she tugged at the blade, several times.On the third attempt, the sword cleared the scabbard almost an inch.“Aye.” Ruan laughed outright, his lips curving into a suggestive smile, “But it would take even a larger blade; ye haven’t a prayer if ye can’t lift this one.” His hand closed over hers. Not as a deterrent, but simply to watch her eyes flash defiantly once more....

Bleddyn Hall


Amanda L.V. Shalaby - 2015
    After a whirlwind romance during the London Season, Lady Isabel Sutton finds herself quickly engaged to the handsome Lord Tresham  Bleddyn, Earl of Dancy.  When his father passes away suddenly, however, his period of mourning delays their marriage and ruins the season for Tresham’s  younger, twin sisters, Annalise and Rosamund.After the girls invite Isabel to their Yorkshire home, Bleddyn  Hall, Tresham  seems an entirely different man than the one she fell in love with in London.  Not only that, but all is not well within the walls of Bleddyn  Hall. The house’s dark secrets lead to murder, mystery, and a gruesome discovery.Was Isabel’s happy future with Tresham  nothing more than an illusion?  What is more, will she survive her stay at Bleddyn Hall?

Altdorf


J.K. Swift - 2011
    A Duke of the Holy Roman Empire, his cunning overshadowed only by his ambition. A young Priestess of the Old Religion, together with a charismatic outlaw, sparking a rebellion from deep within the forests... and an ex-Hospitaller caught between them all.At the end of the thirteenth century, five hundred orphans and second sons are rounded up from villages in the Alpine countryside and sold to the Hospitaller Knights of St John. Trained to serve as Soldiers of Christ, they fight in eastern lands they know nothing about, for a cause they do not understand.Thomas Schwyzer, released from his vows by the Grandmaster of the Hospitallers, returns to the land of his birth a stranger. Once a leader of men, and captain of the Order's most famous war galley, he now settles into the simple life of a ferryman. He believes this new role to be God's reward for years of faithful service fighting the Infidel in Outremer.Seraina, considered a witch by most, a healer by some, is a young woman with a purpose. A Priestess of the Old Religion, and the last Druid disciple of the Helvetii Celts, she has been gifted by the Great Weave to see what others cannot. Her people need her guidance and protection now more than ever. For Duke Leopold of Habsburg, in his efforts to control the St. Gotthard Pass, builds a great Austrian fortress in Altdorf. Once finished, the Habsburg occupation will be complete, but the atrocities visited upon her people will have just begun.

Lady Lou the Highwayman - A Regency Romance


Audrey Harrison - 2019
    She was to find out there was even further to fall. Sometimes, taking responsibility that isn’t yours, can lead to a situation which threatens everything and everyone you hold dear. Lou has no idea what a chain of events she has set in motion, until it is too late…Simon Ashton, Earl of Garswood, has grown-up with his father openly parading mistresses and Society turning a blind eye to the fact. Hating the fickleness of the Society he belongs to, he becomes aloof and unattached. He will never lose his heart to the people he despises.Set on his life’s path, a foolish trip across heathland in the dead of night is to lead to a series of events which will change his life forever. Can he allow someone into his life? Especially someone who is so completely at odds with everything he’s known. Could she be the woman who offers something else – something sincere – something true? Just when he thinks there is a chance of a happy future, events unfurl which threaten those he cares for the most. No one is going to be left unscathed…Lady Lou the Highwayman is a Regency romance topped with a generous dose of humour, action, and tears. If you like simmering chemistry, fast-paced adventures, and strong characters, then you'll love Audrey Harrison's Regency tale. Buy Lady Lou the Highwayman to find excitement and true love today!

The Beauty Bride


Claire Delacroix - 2005
    And he has no choice but to see them all wed in haste.Lady Madeline’s heart is not for sale…especially not to a notorious outlaw like Rhys FitzHenry. Yet Madeline’s hand has been sold, to none other than this battle-weary warrior with a price on his head. A more dutiful maiden might cede to the Laird’s command and meekly accept her fate, but Madeline has never been obedient. She decides to run away, though she never dreams that Rhys will pursue her.She does not expect this taciturn man to woo her with fanciful stories, much less that each of his enthralling tales will reveal a scar upon his shielded soul. She never imagines that a man like Rhys could imperil her own heart while revealing so little of his own feelings. When Rhys’ past threatens his future, Madeline takes a leap of faith. She dares to believe him innocent—and risks her own life to pursue a passion more priceless than the rarest gem.

The Outcast Highlander


R.L. Syme - 2013
    As an English lord descends to claim her father's lands, Kensey escapes north with her mother and brother, and runs straight into the arms of the outcast Highlander.Driven from home and family by a crazed father, Broccin Sinclair refuses to stand aside while the English invade his beloved Scotland. But who should he champion? The freedom fighter who saved his life, the family who has forgotten him, or the woman who captured his childhood heart?